An $8.6 million solar farm is planned for a site just outside of Boorowa with work expected to begin in late 2022.
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The solar farm developer, ITP Development Pty Ltd, hopes construction will take place over four months late next year followed by three weeks of commissioning before the site becomes operational before the end of 2022.
Up to 50 personnel will be working on the development site during construction.
"We prefer to work with local contractors as much as possible, not only for cost efficiency but also because ITP Development is committed to sustaining local economies and always choosing local wherever possible - it is one of our company values," a spokesperson for ITP Development said.
"Apart from hiring machinery locally, we will also be engaging local consultants for the establishment of the project as well as the ongoing maintenance of the site throughout its life of at least 35 years.
"This may include local surveyors, earthmoving contractors, plumbers, electricians, carpenters, fabricators, cleaners, waste contractors, landscapers and other available labour hire.
"In pursuit of our local ideals, another solar farm we are developing in Orange is even being crowd-funded by the local community alongside institutional investors.
"The idea is producing a great deal of interest and enthusiasm and we hope to reproduce it in future regional projects," the spokesperson said.
More information in this regard is available on https://energydemocracy.net
Once operational the site will be unmanned with maintenance expected to be carried out quarterly by two to three people.
ITP is a developer of town-scale solar farms in regional Australia designed to match current and future electricity demand.
The solar farm, on the corner of Lachlan Valley Way and Meads Lane, will consist of 12,000 solar modules installed in 138 rows that are approximately 104 metres long.
The solar array will be contained within an area with dimensions of 327.1 metres by 350.9 metres, covering a total area of 11.32 hectares.
It will also include two 3.4MW inverter stations that are three metres high, each mounted on a 12.2 metre long skid, located in the centre of the solar array.
A 2.9 metres high kiosk will be constructed to convert high and medium voltage to low voltage electricity suitable for connection to the local system
Underground high voltage cables will connect to the existing grid.
The ITP spokesperson said the proposed development will have the capacity to supply 13,300MWh of electricity per year into the local network, which is enough to power approximately 92 per cent of Boorowa's energy requirements.
"The electricity generated will reduce greenhouse emissions from mains grid electricity by around 5,000 tonnes of CO2 per year and help Boorowa contribute towards meeting Australia's renewable energy targets," the spokesperson said.
"Solar farms are the most direct way to reduce carbon emissions that contribute to global warming, and besides producing renewable energy, solar farms feed surplus power to the mains grid thereby distributing clean energy.
"The land used for solar farms also provides a better habitat for wildlife and plants, and the Grenfell site will continue to be used for animal grazing during its operation," he said.
ITP thanked the Hilltops Council and local community for their faith in the project and patience in seeing the development take off.
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